


Remedy for the Heat

by Resoan



Series: Drabbles, Requests, and Memes [30]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 09:34:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4741463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resoan/pseuds/Resoan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The place where the Dalish settled up north to evade the darkspawn turns out to be hot and humid: miserable for the clan who tries to sleep. Tamlen wakes up Aeferiel as the heat keeps him up, and convinces her to join him in the spring just at the edge of the Dalish camp.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remedy for the Heat

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you're aware, Tamlen and Aeferiel have an established relationship already - they're bonded, mated, etc. This fic was originally requested on my tumblr by beautybeasty, who requested an Underwater Kiss.

The news of Tamlen and Aeferiel swept across the clan rather quickly after their return; both Ashalle and Keeper Marethari had congratulated her personally, and Aeferiel had waved away their words with a blush on her pale cheeks.

It had not been long afterward that the pair had become officially  _joined_  in the eyes of the clan, and Aeferiel was equal parts wary and embarrassed when some of the hunters gave her a knowing look after what they’d assumed was her first intimate night with Tamlen.

News of the blight spread north as the creatures erupted from the southern Korcari Wilds, however, and the clan moved further north to try and avoid contact with the foul things. The halla took them into the very heart of Ferelden: full of forests and fields and far away from any human settlements larger than one family working farmland to feed themselves and pay their taxes.

A small lake was perched on the western side of camp, branches of willows dipping into the clear water as though they could not stave off their curiosity. Catching rabbits and deer was not a difficult feat, Aeferiel discovered; even Tamlen had been able to catch one without sending it running off - he’d promptly pouted when Aeferiel pointed this out, and as she chuckled, Tamlen had approached and kissed her quite hungrily into silence.

The air was heavy with moisture so close to water, and while the temperature was not hot, it was humid enough to be most uncomfortable when any of the clan attempted sleep - even the Keeper’s attempt at some sort of ward to keep out the humidity did little.

Perhaps that was why Aeferiel woke so abruptly in the middle of the night - that, and Tamlen’s twisting and turning at her side. Blond bangs clung to his forehead, damp with sweat, and Aeferiel narrowed her eyes at him; if she could roll back onto her side, she could likely fall right back asleep…

“ _Vhenan_ ,” Tamlen murmured, Aeferiel frowning even as her eyes closed and Tamlen’s nose pressed gently against her cheek. She recognized his tone, though - he wanted something.

“It’s too hot to do that now,” Aeferiel told him exasperatedly, the redhead purposefully rolling onto her side and away from him.

“This heat is awful, and I wanted to go take a dip,” Tamlen pressed on, pointedly ignoring her reply mere moments before.

“You’re not going to let me sleep until I go with you, are you?” Aeferiel turned until she was flat on her back, her hands crossed on her belly and her gaze firmly locked on Tamlen who seemed torn between affectionately winning her over or pouting in combination with wide, puppy eyes.

With a sigh, Aeferiel finally pushed herself upright, a hand raking back through the hair that fell forward with her movement. “All right. Let’s go, but be quiet.”

“Always,  _vhenan_!” His cheeky grin belied his words, but Aeferiel climbed out of the tent with him nonetheless, her arm finding an easy space in the crook of his elbow.

Sneaking past the sentries was a little tricky, but the pair ultimately made their way through the camp and to the water, a sliver of moonlight reflecting on the surface.

“Well, come on.” Tamlen turned to Aeferiel with a grin, and extricated his arm before tugging at the comfortable trousers and letting them slide to the ground shamelessly.

“ _Tamlen_! What are you doing?” Aeferiel had to force herself to look away, though Tamlen didn’t wait before heading into the water with a quiet, relieved sigh.

“I’m not about to get my clothes wet - unless you’d rather I slept naked.” After a moment, Aeferiel merely let out a sigh before approaching the bank and taking a seat, her arms wrapping around her knees. “Uh-uh,” Tamlen finally swam closer, his gaze steadfastly on her. “You’re supposed to be in here with me,” he informed her.

“Fine.” The short tunic she wore scarcely covered the tops of her thighs, and she glanced around to ensure they were alone before letting it drop and slipping into the rather cool water. “ _Creators_  it’s cold in here,” Aeferiel whispered, her arms crossing over her chest and rubbing over her arms in an attempt to warm them.

“Better cold in here that stifling out there,” Tamlen remarked offhandedly, though he paused in thought for a moment before turning back towards Aeferiel. “But if you’re cold, I suppose it’s my duty to warm you.”

“No, really, that’s all right-”

Her protests were abruptly silenced when his arms circled around her waist, Aeferiel keenly aware of every inch of him that pressed against her. Still, she sagged gently against his chest, her head finding refuge on his shoulder, and for a few, still moments, she was content, happy even.

That abruptly changed when Tamlen let his legs drop out from under him, and he pulled the both of them under. The cold was unforgiving, and while anger boiled in her veins at the backlash she would unleash on Tamlen, his lips on hers stole her attention.

An arm curled around her waist while his tongue pried her lips apart and they dared to share a breath, but even then, Aeferiel was breathless. She couldn’t say how long they lingered under water, but when they surfaced, she refused to let him go.


End file.
